Inside the Braves with MLB.com's Mark Bowman

Med Dog provides the reminder he was once an athlete

Other than the fact both are vertically-challenged right-handed pitchers with a sound understanding of how to baffle lineups without an overpowering fastball, I don’t see the need to draw comparisons between Kris Medlen and Greg Maddux. I was thinking about waiting at least until Medlen compiles 20 career wins, or within about 330 of Maddux’s total.

But what Medlen has been impressive enough for Chipper Jones to mention Medlen in the same breath as Maddux. This was his (@RealCJ10) poetic recap of Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over the Padres:

Medlen is Maddux-esque rite now, only Med has a better pick-off move! DU went #mammo off the paint can! Bmac is now singing soprano,Lol!!

Before we go any further, let’s stay in the Twitter world and suggest that Medlen’s nickname be Med Dog, which is obviously a play off of Maddux’s nickname, Mad Dog. The first person I saw suggest this was @fauxfrankwren

Now back to our original thought….

In the process of tossing eight scoreless innings against the Padres on Tuesday, Medlen made the Navy Seals on Coronado Island proud with the sniper-like reflexes he showed while picking two runners off first base. This is certainly not something you would expect to see from a right-handed pitcher.

But as Medlen would like to remind you, he was a right-handed athlete before he became a pitcher.

“I’m a former shortstop. I used to be good at stuff, like playing baseball and hitting and stuff,” Medlen said. “That’s one thing that stuck with me was my quick feet. You guys have been around me enough to know that I can’t really stand still. It’s just one of those quick things that I’ve developed and it’s helped me control the run game early in my career.”

Since making his Major League debut in 2009, Medlen has recorded six pickoffs, three this year. Johnny Cueto (8) and R.A. Dickey (4) are the only right-handed pitchers with more pickoffs this year.

Dating back to 1987, Medlen is one of 13 Braves’ pitchers to total at least six pickoff moves. John Smoltz (18), Maddux (15) and Tim Hudson (9) are the only right-handed members of this group with more than six pickoffs. Each of these pitchers obviously compiled many more innings than Medlen.

As for the fact that today’s starting pitcher Tommy Hanson is another right-hander who has also compiled six pickoffs, well it’s safe to say he’s had plenty of reason to attempt to stop baserunners from taking advantage of his delivery.

I have a feeling that this will be the last time you may see now I am saying may see either Jair or Tommy in a Braves uniforms. I just think that those 2 need to go to a bigger pitcher friendly ballpark like Seattle Oakland or wherever that may be. I mean Hanson is from Cali why not send him to one those teams for some prospects. Glad to see Medlen doing well just hope next year he lands a spot on the rotation.

The issue with this team is what it has been throughout the last 3 years. We have lapses of complete lack of offense. We bring in proven Off. performers and they turn into mush. I think that there are a number of factors contributing to this, but Fredi and our hitting coaches have to shoulder a large part of the blame. Qtip and our scouting staff have to shoulder a sig. portion of the blame as well. At this point, we look really similar to the team that swooned last September. We have had some pleasant surprises and some dismal failures among the pitching staff. The problem that I see, is that we don’t respond well to obvious situations among our pitching staff. I mean try to start the season breaking in 2 rookies, an injury prone starter and a guy who was obviously out of condition in ST to start the season was a huge mistake. Everyone knows how I feel about the schizophrenic treatment of Meds in the midst of all this. We got lucky with Sheets for a few games And Maholm has been Maholm. He’s good when he’s not serving up Mammos. Defense has been great., but defense seldom wins games on it’s own merit. Right now, we look awfully weak. McCann continues to struggle, Uggs looks like a badly exaggerated worse version of Andruw and even the immortal Chip looks tired and suffering from being old. Heyward, Bourn and Freddie are streaky.

Our SS can’t hit and despite everyone who forecast Simmons back in 4 weeks we are now at 7 with no rehab assignment even begun. My guess is he is done for the season as I had originally predicted. Even when he begins playing his hand will be weak and probably a ways from game ready. Even making the wild card i fear we are in for an early break this year once again. Hope I am wrong. But this movie looks strangely familiar

There can’t be anyone more annoying then McCarver there isn’t. But the Braves problems lays on McCann being hurt Uggla and Janish not hitting when the teams needs them and I can’t wait til Simmons comes back once he does I would bench Uggla place whoever in LF that can hit and place Prado at 2nd and use Uggla as a bench bat.

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